Hometown cancels Bergdahl welcome ceremony

The good citizens of Hailey, Idaho have had second thoughts about welcoming home Bowe Bergdahl with a parade. Fox News reports:

This small, central Idaho city of about 8,000 is wilting in the international spotlight brought by what was supposed to be a joyous occasion, and a much-anticipated celebration welcoming back a long-lost son has been canceled. (snip)

… the jubilation that followed his release has given way to confusion and fear, as questions about whether Bergdahl was a deserter have surfaced. City Hall has been inundated with angry letters and emails from around the country. The long-planned "Welcome Back, Bowe" celebration, planned for June 28 in Hop Porter Park, was canceled Wednesday amid growing claims by Bergdahl's fellow soldiers that he deserves no honor. (snip)

On Wednesday afternoon, [city administrator Heather] Dawson issued a press release saying, “In the interest of public safety, the event will be canceled. Hailey, a town of 8,000 does not have the infrastructure to support an event of the size this could become.

This is a wise decision, given that outsiders could well pour into this small town. When you anger military veterans as this decision has, and give them three weeks to plan, there’s a good chance of a lot of people showing up. And that’s not even to consider the locals who are now split on the issue.

The larger point is that the feel-good reception the president anticipated has crumbled to ashes. There can be no doubt that the president and his advisers are seriously out of touch.

The good citizens of Hailey, Idaho have had second thoughts about welcoming home Bowe Bergdahl with a parade. Fox News reports:

This small, central Idaho city of about 8,000 is wilting in the international spotlight brought by what was supposed to be a joyous occasion, and a much-anticipated celebration welcoming back a long-lost son has been canceled. (snip)

… the jubilation that followed his release has given way to confusion and fear, as questions about whether Bergdahl was a deserter have surfaced. City Hall has been inundated with angry letters and emails from around the country. The long-planned "Welcome Back, Bowe" celebration, planned for June 28 in Hop Porter Park, was canceled Wednesday amid growing claims by Bergdahl's fellow soldiers that he deserves no honor. (snip)

On Wednesday afternoon, [city administrator Heather] Dawson issued a press release saying, “In the interest of public safety, the event will be canceled. Hailey, a town of 8,000 does not have the infrastructure to support an event of the size this could become.

This is a wise decision, given that outsiders could well pour into this small town. When you anger military veterans as this decision has, and give them three weeks to plan, there’s a good chance of a lot of people showing up. And that’s not even to consider the locals who are now split on the issue.

The larger point is that the feel-good reception the president anticipated has crumbled to ashes. There can be no doubt that the president and his advisers are seriously out of touch.